For the 42nd edition of the European Heritage Days, the Palace of Versailles is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Third Republic. Come and discover the Congress, built in 1875 for the Members of Parliament and the Senate, and the flats of the President of the Congress!
September 20 & 21, 2025 European Heritage Days
© EPV / Thomas Garnier
- Opening of the Congress chamber and the appartment of the congress president
- Program
- Practical informations
Opening of the Congress chamber and the appartment of the congress president
For the 42nd edition of the European Heritage Days, the Palace of Versailles is offering a Republican tour!
Palace of the Kings under the Ancien Regime, the Palace of Versailles became home to the National Assembly in 1871, when it fled Paris and the revolutionary government of the Commune. A new hemicycle room was inaugurated in the heart of the Midi wing in 1875 to house the Chamber of Deputies. Today, it is still used by the Senate and the National Assembly to meet in Congress for the adoption of constitutional amendments, or for the President of the Republic's addresses to the two assemblies.
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days, the Palace will be opening the Congress Chamber and the flat of the President of the Congress free of charge, and offering a special programme.
Congress Chamber
© EPV / Thomas Garnier
Desk of the Congress President
© EPV / Thomas Garnier
President of the Congress Chamber's appartment
© EPV / Thomas Garnier
Program
Activities
Come and listen to speeches by great figures in the history of the Republic, such as Gambetta, Jules Ferry and Mac Mahon, in an immersive sound experience!
The ‘1 lettre 1 sourire’ association will also be offering a postcard-making workshop as part of the tour.
Mediations
During your visit, you can talk to student mediators from the Ecole du Louvre to find out more about these places where the Republic expresses itself in the Palace of the kings.
Practical informations
Access: 2 rue de l'Indépendance américaine
Opening hours: 9am - 6:30 (last admission at 5:30pm)
Price: free, no reservation needed
Please note: a part of the tour is accessible for visitors with a wheelchair from the Prince's Court
To prepare for your visit, please download the free app before you arrive.
Also read
From March 25
Virtual Reality: The Sun King’s Lost Gardens
For the first time, the Palace of Versailles is opening its doors for an extraordinary virtual reality (VR) journey back in time! Immerse yourself in 1682 and join André Le Nôtre, Louis XIV’s gardener, on a special tour of specific groves of the gardens which are no existing anymore.
Show
The Musical Fountains Show and the Musical Gardens
From April 1 to October 31 2025, enjoy the Musical Gardens and the Musical Fountains Show in the gardens and groves opened for the occasion. Every Saturday evening from 7 June to 20 September, Monday 14 July and Friday 15 August, discover the Gardens in the evening with the The Night Fountains Show.
Events
Exceptional weekend openings
The Palace of Versailles is pleased to offer exceptional weekend tours during high season. From the Congress Chamber to the apartments of General De Gaulle at Trianon Sous Bois, or the Stables, don't miss this opportunity to discover another face of Versailles less well known.
Vous venez régulièrement ?
Le meilleur de Versailles pour les abonnés ! Pendant toute une année, bénéficiez de nombreux avantages grâce aux cartes SOLO et DUO, et un accès coupe-file en illimité à partir de seulement 65€.
Offres d'abonnement
The official Palace of Versailles app
The free application of the Palace offers audio tours to accompany your visit to the Estate (Palace, Gardens, Trianon Estate, etc.) as well as an interactive map.
More information
